LAREDO, Texas - Paige Tamayo smacked a pair of homers, while Jalee McDonald picked up a win in the circle while adding a longball of her own as the Texas Woman's University softball team (7-24, 6-20 Lone Star Conference) salvaged a doubleheader split against regionally-ranked Texas A&M International (22-17, 15-11) on Friday at the Dustdevil Softball Field, falling 3-2 in the opener and winning the nightcap 6-3. . 

"To end the first game like we did was tough and really stuck with them, which showed in how we came out in the second one," said head coach Amber Barker. "I was proud of their fight and determination today."

After the Dustdevils broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on an RBI single, going ahead 1-0, Tamayo answered with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth that gave the Pioneers a 2-1 lead. 

That lead held until the bottom of the seventh, when the Dustdevils rallied, tying the game with one out and scoring the winning run on an error with two down in the frame. 

Tatum Quaker took the loss in relief in the circle, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit in two innings of work. TWU was held to two hits in the contest. 

The Pioneers matched the opening game's hit total in the first inning of the nightcap, with all of the Pioneers' offense coming with two out. Tamayo smacked her second homer of the day, a solo shot that put TWU on the board, and two batters later McDonald went deep with a two-run shot that gave TWU an early 3-0 advantage. 

TAMIU came back in the bottom of the third, scoring a run on an error, but the Pioneers answered with a sacrifice fly in the fourth that pushed the lead back to three. 

TWU extended its advantage with a two-run double in the top of the fifth, to claim a 6-1 advantage before the Dustdevils answered with a two-run double of their own in the bottom of the frame. 

However, once again the Pioneers turned to Quaker, who tossed two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the save. McDonald earned her fourth win in the circle after scattering six hits over five innings and allowing three runs, one of which was earned. McDonald was the lone Pioneer with multiple hits, collecting two, while five other Pioneers had a hit apiece. 

TWU is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, May 1, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Midwestern State at Dianne Baker Field.